Williams, a rancher, Republican and Tehama County supervisor, said he talked to Nielsen when he began thinking about a possible run for state office.

On April 19, Nielsen and state Sen. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, together endorsed Williams’ Assembly candidacy.

Now, the question arises whether a $20,000 donation by Nielsen, some of which wound up being spent on Williams’ behalf, violated state election rules.

Individuals and groups are allowed to donate up to $3,900 to a candidate for the Legislature during a campaign.

However, they can donate more money if it is given as an ?independent expenditure? and goes to a group that is independent of the campaign of the candidate it will benefit.

Certain rules apply to this kind of expenditure.

Between Jan. 1 and May 19, according to the California Secretary of State’s website, the Tehama County Republican Central Committee received contributions totaling $13,360.

During that period it spent $14,896.

And it was left with a balance of $4,970.

Last week, the central committee received two gifts totaling $20,000 from Nielsen’s campaign committee.

On Friday, the central committee made what’s called a ?late independent expenditure? of $12,672 on behalf of Williams, according to the Secretary of State’s website.

Tara Stock, a spokeswoman for the Fair Political Practices Commission, said it is illegal for an Assembly member or state senator to make an independent expenditure on behalf of a candidate or to donate to a committee for that purpose.

Whether Nielsen’s gift broke the rules might depend on whether he knew the money he gave the central committee would be used for an independent expenditure, she said.

The Secretary of State’s site shows that on Friday, the central committee made the independent expenditure of $12,762 for radio advertising and mailers through Gilliard Planning and Associates.

This firm, run by Dave Gilliard, also has been serving as the campaign consultant to Williams.

One of the rules regarding independent expenditures is that there be no ?coordination? between the candidate’s campaign and those campaigning for the candidate through independent expenditures.

Stock was asked if hiring a candidate’s campaign consultant with money from an independent expenditure meant to benefit that candidate violated rules regarding coordination.

She said she wasn’t sure.

Nielsen is not running for office this year.

He said if LaMalfa is elected to Congress and leaves the state Senate, he will seek LaMalfa’s Senate seat.